‘The baby steps of today are the forerunners of the giant leaps and strides of tomorrow.’

The year is still new and I’m sure there are people who are still drawing up plans for this year. Its not too late. I’m adding items to my to-do list for the year as well. So, I believe that today’s post is apposite. Its about taking those crucial small steps towards achieving our big goals. The journey of a thousand miles begins with a step, a baby step.

Recently, I shared the story of how I missed the opportunity of being a writer in training. I learnt a lot from that singular experience, not just about writing but about opportunities in life and I try never to repeat that mistake. After I realised that error, I had an offer to be part of a start-up campus magazine as an undergraduate, I accepted it and even though I can’t say I made money from the venture, I know one or two invaluable things about publishing and that opened my eyes to the opportunities that abound in publishing.

Very often these days, people ask me – why blogging? Do you want to be like Linda Ikeji? To set the records straight, I don’t refer to myself as a blogger. I see myself as a writer, a lazy writer if you accept that thinking that blogging is lazy writing. And, I don’t plan to become a ‘Linda Ikeji.’ I like Linda and I read her blog daily but my plans are different. The blog medium offers me the platform that I need to sharpen my skills for what I want to do. What I want to do, ultimately, is to go into publishing and have my own talk show. It might be difficult for some to see how this platform can help transform to that big stage. In what way does an ugly crawling caterpillar look like a beautiful flying butterfly? Metamorphosis connects the tiny dots. Blogging for me is a baby step.

Many people know what they want to do but are not taking any steps towards achieving that aim. They give all forms of explanations (excuses, if you like) like – I don’t have enough capital, I don’t have enough experience, I don’t know everything about it etc etc. While I believe in planning and launching out at the right time, I also believe that many are not setting out because of fear. The conditions will never be perfect. You must have heard or read of Lemony Snicket’s word that “If we wait until we’re ready, we’ll be waiting for the rest of our lives.”

Ecclesiastes 11:4 says it clearly when it says “He who observes the wind will not sow, and he who regards the clouds will not reap.” Charles Spurgeon preaching on that topic also includes the scenario of a sailor, he said, “Take the case of the sailor. If he regards winds and clouds, will he ever be put to sea? Can you give him a promise that the wind will be favourable in any of his voyages, or that he will reach his desired haven without a tempest?” The conditions will never be perfect.

Late last year, I saw ‘Jobs’ the movie. Jobs had an idea of what he wanted to do but lingered until he was spurred to action by the voice that told him “there is no time to waste.” He started out despite the obvious shortcomings and a touching moment for me was when Steve Jobs introduced himself and his new company to the angel investor Mike Markkula. After the introduction, Mike asked “Is this everything?” What Jobs saw in his mind was far different from what Mike saw. Later, Jobs gave us a clue into what he saw when at an exhibition he said “I can promise you that after today, you will never look at computers the same way again.” He truly lived out his dreams, he changed our idea of computers and computing.

We must set out despite the fact that things are not yet set. That’s the time to take the baby steps. The things on ground may not look like the picture in your mind. I have always believed that many times in life, our preparation ground bears no similitude with our throne of glory. Jobs started very small and by September 2012 Apple had become the most valuable company in the world and aspiring investors couldn’t ask again – is this everything? The picture was already clear enough. But before then, baby steps were taken.

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